By Leigh O’Connor.
As the first blush of Summer warms Sydney’s shores, a familiar silhouette glides once more across the harbour - a vision of white teak and silver water, sunlight dancing off her hull. M.Y. Sea Raes has returned, bringing with her the unmistakable spirit of Raes on Wategos - where barefoot elegance meets Mediterranean ease - back to the sparkling heart of the city.
This is no ordinary yacht. At more than 30 metres and spread across three opulent decks, Sea Raes is a floating reverie - an invitation to drift into a world where time slows and every moment is gilded.
Designed for intimacy and indulgence, she hosts up to 30 guests for day or evening charters and eight overnight in staterooms that whisper of Capri afternoons and Byron sunsets. The air hums with salt and Champagne, laughter and linen, as guests celebrate everything from sunset cocktails to long, languid lunches that seem to stretch forever.
General Manager Marty McCaig describes her as "a private dining room on the water” - and indeed, Sea Raes feels less like a vessel and more like an experience woven from memory, light and impeccable taste.
The dining is a highlight: Executive Chef Jason Saxby curates menus that read like poetry. Think oysters dressed in native finger lime, scallops shimmering in XO pangrattato and zucchini flowers cradling spanner crab and lemon myrtle. For a seated feast, whole snapper emerges fragrant with seaweed and citrus, while bistecca Fiorentina meets the kiss of green chilli salsa verde. Each bite feels like a love letter to Summer itself.
The culinary journey is complemented by Champagne that sparkles like the harbour it reflects, by cocktails kissed with citrus and herbs and by a Sommelier’s selection of wines chosen for their conversation with the sea.
Every charter comes with a full crew, an unspoken choreography of quiet service and exquisite detail - Raes’ signature hospitality transposed effortlessly from beachside to blue water. Between courses, guests can slip into the harbour from the swim platform, paddle through quiet coves, or snorkel among the shimmer of marine life. Adventure and indulgence entwine, as seamlessly as sun and skin.
Below deck, designer Tamsin Johnson has captured the serene soul of Raes on Wategos - soft coastal hues, marble accents and vintage-inspired touches that evoke the romance of an old-world yacht. Each cabin feels like a personal retreat: the master suite bathed in gentle light, the VIP suite adorned with subtle grandeur, twin cabins trimmed in warm wood and linen. It is Mediterranean serenity translated into Australian luxury.
For those seeking an even deeper escape, Sea Raes offers more than a day’s reverie. Imagine sunrise pilates with Kirsten King, waves lapping softly beneath the deck, or an afternoon RATIONALE facial while the yacht drifts toward Pittwater or Jervis Bay. Here, luxury is not loud - it’s languid, tactile and personal.
This Summer, Sydney’s harbour once again plays host to the dream that is Sea Raes - a vessel of light, of laughter, of salt-kissed indulgence. She is the city’s most exquisite invitation: to celebrate, to slow down and to let the horizon do the rest.
